Palm Beach County School for Autism cleared of allegations of child abuse and lewd molestation

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PALM SPRINGS, Fla - The Palm Beach County State Attorney's office said it has cleared the Palm Beach School for Autism of abuse allegations.

In November a teacher's assistant was accused of inappropriate contact with two students and the sheriff's office was called to investigate.

In one allegation, the teaching assistant was accused of lewd molestation for allegedly touching the front of a student's pants.

After reviewing the allegations and conducting interviews, the state attorney's office issued a report saying, "there is insufficient evidence to show an actual touching" by the teaching assistant. In addition, it said "even assuming that there was an actual touching, there is absolutely no evidence that would suggest any lewd or lascivious intent on the part" of the assistant.

In a second allegation, the teacher's assistant was accused of child abuse for allegedly scratching one of the students and taking him to the bathroom where he allegedly touched him inappropriately. The teacher's assistant said he did not know it was against school policy to go to a restroom alone with a student, and that nothing improper had occurred. The state attorney's report said, "None of the witnesses can testify that they actually saw" the assistant do anything and the student "is not able to articulate an act due to his disability."

In its report, he state attorney's office also said it did not find the school failed to report the alleged child abuse.

The director of the school, Anne Levene Eisenberg also is a member of the NewsChannel Five board in its Impact Five coverage of autism.